Unbreakable illuminated electric sign



Aug. 6, 1929. J. ROTH 1,123,952

UNBREAKABLE ILLUMINATED ELECTRIC STGN Filed March 22, 1927 iii/B77256:

Patented Aug. e, 1929.

warren JQSIEIPH ROTH, OF Nln'iii "FUR-K, N. Y.

UNBREAKABIJEJ ILLUIVIINATIED lElItiEClELtC SIGN.

Application filed March 22, 192?.

This invention relates to illuminated signs and more particularly to a double-faced electric sign of the unbreakable type.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a sign of this character, whose reading surface is of such a character as to be protected from damage or breakage from outside injury, such as from objects thrown at it.

Another object is to provide a sign which is cheap to manufacture, attractive in appearance, durable in construction, and through which the illrunination from within will show at maximum possible efliciency.

These and other objects are attained by the construction described herebelow, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the out side of the completely-assembled sign, showing its unbreakable surface; Fig. 2 is a frag mentary perspective view of the inside of the sign taken from the rear; Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view through a plane at rightangles to the surface of the sign, and showing the essential interior details; and-Fig. 4t is a perspective View of the complete sign unit with its attaching lugs, a plurality of which units comprise the completed sign.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The invention consists essentially of a frame or boX having a top, bottom, and ends, but no sides, this box being shown by the numeral 1, Figs. 1 and 3; it is preferably made of metal. Secured to its ends at 6 are bars 5, Fig. 1, having a series of holes 3 adapted to contain bolts or other fastening means for the purpose of suspending the sign. Projecting from one end of the sign is an electric cord 7 carrying current from a source of supply to the illuminating bulbs within.

On one or both sides of frame 1 are opaque plates 2, which can also be made of metal, and from which are cut a series of letters comprising the word or words of the sign.

Behind each of these letters is a sign unit similar to that shown in Fig. i, and in detail in Figs. 2 and 3. This unit comprises a shallow box 8, the front surface of which is preferably of metal and contains a letter formed from a series of perforations or small holes 4, Fig. 4:, to form the letter. These perforations are of a size to permit the illumination from within to shine ..u u it.

Serial 1T0. 17?,449.

retain a translucent flat plate 9, preferably of frosted glass, to form the rear wall of the When the sign is made double faced, so that it can be read from either side, two rows of these sign units, one for each letter or character, is positioned in the required order (so to be read properly from each side) opposite their corresponding sign openings in plates 2, comprising the visible surfaces of the completed sign. Between the rows of sign units, as shown in section in Fig. 3, is a source of illumination 11, this being preferably an ordinary electric light bulb mounted in its usual socket or base 12 positioned on a support 13, which may be made adjustable as to height so as to position the bulb 11 centrally behind each sign character. The various bulbs 11 are illuminated through a common source of current 14 supplied through the projecting cable 7 from an electric light line.

It is of course understood that the various individual sign units, as shown in Fig. 4, are removably applied to the inside sign surfaces, as shown in Fig. 2, by some usual and well-known fastening means; and that the sign plates 2 positioned outside of these sign units have their letters or sign characters previously cut into their surfaces, although it is evident that in place of these sign plates 2 there may be substituted a series of abutting plates, each of which has a letter previously cut into it, and that these may be assembled to form the outer sign surface, in the same manner that the individual sign units are assembled from within.

With a construction such as is shown, the outer surface of the sign is unbreakable, being made of some solid material, such as metal, and not of a fragile, translucent or transparent material, such as glass, which is usual in other illuminated signs.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not limited thereto. To those skilled in the art, many modifications of the invention will be readily apparent, and it will also be obvious to such skilled persons that part of the device may be used without other parts thereof, many such combinations of the parts readily suggesting themselves. Therefore, it should be, and is to be distinctly understood that for a definition of the limitations of the invention,

reference must be had to the appended claims.

Having now described the invention what is claimed as new and for which Letters Patentof the United States is desired, is:

1. An illuminated sign comprising a container having a stencil plate for one side, and: a plurality of sign units positioned withinv the container against the inner surface of the stencil plate, each unit having a periorated front plate, and a translucent rear plate, the perforations in the front plate being assembled to form the outlines of JOSEPH ROTH. 

